Thursday, September 13, 2012

Top Ten Dre Songs Of All Time - #4

Now, this song was a serious challenger for the best Dre beat of all time, and we'll get to why soon. But Busta kinda lets us down on the verse, all the opening to the 2nd verse is amazing...but his rhymes aren't tight. It should be noted that this song is the very one that I strive to emulate and the heights to which I strive to attain when I make my own beats.

Let me walk you through this beat though.

So the girl starts singing with that Arabian inflection or whatever, and you're like WTF am I about to hear?

And then the drums and beat kick in, and you're still like what the fuckkkkk.

Cuz what instrument is that? Is that - no, it can't be. Is that a mofo'in chinese gu-gin on the beat? It's gotta be a plucked lute instrument of some kind - maybe even a pipa. And that snare - is it literally a gunshot? Yes, Dre has used a gunshot as a snare before, and even used the sound of shovel digging, but the way this snare assaults your ear drum is just something else. It's like it resonates in the very dome of your skull or something.

Then, is Q-Tip really on the chorus? Did 2 of all the time greats really hook-up on this beat?

And Busta starts rapping in his declamatory style, like he's a goddamn twisted minister or something at his pulpit, and you've realized that Dre has just taken you to a place you really might not have wanted to go. This beat just sounds dangerous. Like it might actually hurt you.

And then the HUGE piano sound comes in - I mean seriously, is that even a piano? Have you ever heard a piano in real life that actually sounds like that? And the harmonies are so dirty, it's just nasty. Gross. Filthy.

And the start of the 2nd verse - Busta skips the first verse and you're like, "I just got shitted on." Yes. Yes you did.

So Dre just fucked up the rest of your day. Now go home and just try to do something about it.